Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers
An inventory of the papers at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University
Summary |
|
| Creator: | Lowenstein family. |
| Title: | Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers |
| Dates: | 1967-2013 |
| Size: | 13 linear feet |
| Abstract: | Materials relating to Alexander Lowenstein, one of the 35 Syracuse University study abroad students killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and materials relating to Suse Lowenstein's sculpture Dark Elegy |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/pan-am-103 |
Biography
Alexander Lowenstein (1967-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. He was one of the 35 Syracuse University students traveling home after a semester abroad. Alexander (also known as Alex or Alexi) was an English major, but hoped to pursue a degree in clinical psychology so he could work in a psychiatric clinic after he graduated. Alex was a brother in the Zeta Psi fraternity at Syracuse University and sat on the Inter-fraternity Council.
"Alexander was very special. His ability to fully enjoy life; to make us laugh; to draw his peers to him; to make us love him," his parents recall. Alex was a water person who loved surfing and scuba diving near his parents' home in Montauk on Long Island. He was survived by his parents, Suse and Peter, and his brother, Lucas.
Suse Lowenstein is an accomplished sculptor; her work Dark Elegy has garnered much acclaim and commentary over the years and has served as a reminder of the evils of terrorism. Dark Elegy consists of 75 individual sculptures depicting women at the moment they learned their loved one had been killed on Pan Am Flight 103. Each figure was sculpted from life. Dark Elegy is dedicated to all victims of terrorism.
Scope and Content Note
The Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers consist of materials related to Alexander Lowenstein, one of the 35 Syracuse University study abroad students killed in the December 21, 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the commemorative sculptural work Dark Elegy created by his mother, Suse Lowenstein. The collection has been divided into the following series:
The Artwork series contains Alex's artwork and sketches.
Clippings contains full newspapers and clippings relating to Alex's life and memorialization, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and the subsequent trials, and terrorism generally. Of special interest may be the clippings from the two years before Alex's death and those related to the Camp Zeist trial in the Netherlands.
The Correspondence series contains condolences, general correspondence files, and correspondence with people in Lockerbie. Many of the letters from Lockerbie include photographs as enclosures.
The Dark Elegy series documents the sculpture created by Suse Lowenstein. Clippings, correspondence, photographs and writings related to Dark Elegy are located in this series. It also includes information about exhibitions of Dark Elegy.
Personal belongings consists of items that belonged to or were created by Alex, including items recovered from the crash site at Lockerbie. This series contains Alex's collection of audiocassettes, including original albums and homemade mixtapes, correspondence, and class notebooks, exam books, and papers.
Photographs and negatives contains digitized photographs from an album the Lowenstein family temporarily loaned the Archives, and physical photographs of Alex with his friends and family. Of special interest to researchers may be photographs from his semester studying abroad in 1988, depicting London and trips to Amsterdam, and photographs developed from film found at the crash site.
Subject files contains topical files of general interest, including a copy of Senate Resolution 727 signed by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Researchers may also be interested in the maps used to plot locations of victims' bodies as well as Pan Am 103 passenger statistics, including a seating chart for the Boeing 747. This series also contains recordings of Alex participating in his hobbies, interests, and extracurriculars. The video recordings include footage of Alex surfing and spending time at the beach with his family, participating in a competition at his high school, and performing in a theater production called "Park Place."
Writings includes poems, articles and tributes to Alex and the victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing.
Alternative Formats
Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing these materials.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.
Access to audiovisual material requires advance notice to produce a use copy.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers. Related collections include:
Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual Collection
Pan Am 103 Publications Collection
Selected Search Terms
Names
Associated Titles
Subjects
Types of material
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Gift of Peter and Suse Lowenstein in 2009 and 2014.
Processing Information
Materials were placed in acid-free folders and boxes.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: Cara A. Howe
Date: 2014
Revision history: Mar 2015 - Stylistic changes (VSOM);
Apr 2015 - Access restrictions removed (VSOM);
Jun 2016 - New accessions integrated (VSOM);
Feb 2018 - Stylistic changes (VSOM);
April 2023 - Oversize items reboxed and inventory updated (HVA);
July 2024 - Media processed, inventory reorganized and updated (VSOM)
Location of Originals
Photographs from the album scanned while on loan from the Lowenstein family have been retained by the donor.
Inventory
| Artwork | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Sketches by Alexander Lowenstein undated | ||||||||||
| Dark Elegy | |||||||||||
| Box 6 | A broken heart still beats after your child dies, by Anne McCracken and Mary Semel, cover art undated | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Campaign for permanent home in Washington, DC 2007 | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Clippings 1991-2001, undated | ||||||||||
| Oversize 2 | Clippings circa 1992-1996 oversize | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Correspondence circa 1989-1994 (3 folders) | ||||||||||
| Exhibitions | |||||||||||
| Box 6 | Douglass College 1997 | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Douglass College 1997 | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Others 1991, 1993-1994, 1997 | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Rutgers University 1996 | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Photographs circa 1996 | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Photographs and slides undated Dark Elegy at Syracuse University |
||||||||||
| Box 6 | Printed materials 1997 | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Sketches by Lauren Ennist undated | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Student comments on Dark Elegy film undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Suse Lowenstein: "Body Concious" sculpture show undated (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_002) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Suse Lowenstein and Dark Elegy 8 November 1991 (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_003) | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | "The Women of Lockerbie," by Deborah Brevoort, program art 2008 | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Writings about Dark Elegy 1996, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 6 | Writings by Suse Lowenstein undated Alexander Lowenstein by Suse Lowenstein Dark Elegy by Suse Lowenstein Letter to the editor from Suse Lowenstein Artist's statement by Suse Lowenstein |
||||||||||
| Personal belongings | |||||||||||
| Albums and mixtapes | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Bruce [Springsteen] and Byron [Bryan] Adams 19 September, 1978 (Audio cassette; running time 90:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_012) | ||||||||||
| Recording contains: Point blank; Backstreets; Rosalita; Sandy; Born to run; Tenth Avenue freeze-out. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Bryan Adams: Cuts like a knife - commercial album (Audio cassette; running time 38:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_015) | ||||||||||
| Recording contains: Side 1: The only one; Take me back; This time; Straight from the heart; Cuts like a knife; Side 2: I'm ready; What's it gonna be; Don't leave me lonely; Let him know; The best was yet to come. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | [Compilation tape 1] undated (Audio cassette; running time 60:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_010) | ||||||||||
| Recording contains: Side A: Graceland [album by Paul Simon]: Boy in a Bubble; Graceland; I know what I know; Gumboots; Diamonds on the soles of her shoes; Under African skies; Crazy love, Vol. II; That was your mother; All around the world; Side B: mixed: Me and Julio...; Kodachrome; Mother and child reading. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | [Compilation tape 2] undated (Audio cassette; running time 90:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_011) | ||||||||||
| Recording contains: Side A: Worst of Jefferson Airplane; Seatrain; Side B: Joan Baez: One day at a time; Tom Paxton: Morning again. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | [Compilation tape 3] Ziggy Marley: Consious party; Midnight Oil: Diesel and dust June 1988 (Audio cassette; running time 90:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_014) | ||||||||||
| Recording contains: Side A: Conscious part; Lee and Molly; Tomorrow people; New love; Tumblin' down; We a guh some weh; A who a say; Have you ever been to hell; We propose; What's true; Dreams of home; Side B: Diesel and dust: Beds are burning; Put down that weapon; Dream world; Warakurna; The dead heart; Whoah; Bullroarer; Sell my soul; Sometimes. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | CripZen: A manual for survival, Lorenzo W. Milam, side 4 - incomplete set (Audio cassette; running time 60:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_020) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | The Cult: Love - commercial album (Audio cassette; running time 38:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_016) | ||||||||||
| Track list: Nirvana; The big neon glitter; Love; Brother Wolf; Sister Moon; Rain; The Phoenix; The Hollow Man; Revolution; She sells sanctuary; Black Angel. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | The Cure: Standing on a beach; The singles (And unavailable B-sides) - commercial album (Audio cassette; running time 86:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_017) | ||||||||||
| Track list: Side A: Killing an Arab; Boy's don't cry; Jumping someone else's train; A forest; Primary; Charlotte sometimes; The Hanging Garden; Let's go to bed; The walk; The lovecats; The caterpillar; In between days; Close to me; Side B: I'm cold; Another journey by train; Descent; Splintered in her head; Mr. Pink Eyes; Happy the man; Throw your foot; The exploding boy; A few hours after this; A man inside my mouth; Stop dead; New day. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Elton John: Greatest Hits - commercial album (Audio cassette; running time 86:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_018) | ||||||||||
| Track list: Side A: Rocket man; Daniel; Honky cat; Goodbye yellow brick road; Saturday night's alright for fighting; Side B: Your song; Bennie and the Jets;Don't Let The sun go down on me; Border song; Crocodile rock. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Stand by me (Original motion picture soundtrack) - commercial album (Audio cassette; running time 15:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_019) | ||||||||||
| Track list: Everyday, Buddy Holly; Let the good times roll, Shirley And Lee; Come go with me, Whispering Bells, The Dell-Vikings; Get a job, The Silhouettes; Lollipop, The Chordettes; Yakety yak, The Coasters; Great balls of fire, Jerry Lee Lewis; Mr. Lee, The Bobbettes; Stand by me, Ben E. King. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombone undated (Audio cassette; running time 90:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_013) | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Birth certificate 1967 | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Certifications 1975-1982 | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Class schedules 1987 | ||||||||||
| Correspondence | |||||||||||
| Box 8 | General 1980-1985 (5 folders) | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | General 1985-1988 (4 folders) | ||||||||||
| Box 10 | General undated (3 folders) | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Diploma, high school 1985 | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Diploma, middle school 1981 | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Essays and papers 1987-1988, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Exam booklets 1987-1988 | ||||||||||
| Found in wreckage | |||||||||||
| Box 11 | Audiocassette pouch undated | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Journal pages 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Personal papers 1988, undated Tower of London postcard British Rail pass |
||||||||||
| Box 12 | Photographs 1988 Stonehenge |
||||||||||
| Box 11 | Radio and cassette player undated | ||||||||||
| Box 11 | Sweater undated | ||||||||||
| Box 11 | Underwater camera undated | ||||||||||
| Box 11 | Wallet undated | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Inter-fraternity council notes 1987-1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Letter of recommendation for Alex Lowenstein 10 December 1984 | ||||||||||
| Box 7 | Mendham Township Middle School 1979-1981 | ||||||||||
| Notebooks | |||||||||||
| Box 13 | English 227 undated | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | English 342 1987 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | English 361 1987 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | English 533 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Geology 102 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | German 201/202 1986 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Philosophy 212 1986 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Philosophy 216 undated | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Philosophy 321 1987 | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Psychology 305 undated | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Religion 255 1986 | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Religion 291 undated | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Religion 358 undated | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Sociology 388 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Writing 315 undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Personal documents 1988, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Planner 1983 | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Planner August 1987-August 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Poetry undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Report cards and grade reports 1979-1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Riding helmet undated | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Scottish flag undated | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Surfing figures "Alex" and "Beth" undated | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Tie clips with letter "A" undated | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Wallet undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | West Morris Mendham High School 1985 | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Zeta Psi Fraternity circa 1986-1989 | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Zeta Psi beer stein 1989 | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Zeta Psi flag undated | ||||||||||
| Box 16 | Zeta Psi sticker undated | ||||||||||
| Subject files | |||||||||||
| Box 18 | Alexander Lowenstein grave plot at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in East Hampton, New York 1989 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Anis, Magdy and Fady [attorneys] disciplinary review board 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Annual harbor lights gala honoring Suse and Peter Lowenstein 5 August 2006 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Authorizations to conduct criminal proceedings on behalf of others 1992 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | AVSEC international conference 26 October 1993 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Barringer Instruments, Inc. circa 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Body identification December 1988 Body Number 167, Alexander Lowenstein (not graphic) |
||||||||||
| Box 18 | CDI's Security Service Bureau (SSB) 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Certificate of achievement from Syracuse University College of Arts and
Sciences circa 1989 Certificate of Achievement from College of Arts and Sciences |
||||||||||
| Box 18 | Congressional Record: Senate Resolution 727 signed by Hillary Rodham
Clinton 9 December 2008 Senate Resolution 727 signed by Hillary Rodham Clinton |
||||||||||
| Box 18 | Contraband Detection International 9 April 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Donahue syndication list 1 November 1989 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Dub of Alexander Lowenstein surfing undated - Allexi getting into surfing suit and paddling out (VHS; running time 10:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_005) | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Eulogies 30 December 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Estate of Alexander Lowenstein 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Federal Aviation Administration security bulletin process undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Joan Rivers/ Suse; Sara Lee Kessler/ Peter 12 December, 1989; 16 May, 1990 - Joan Rivers and a Talkshow (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_001) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Lifetime TV: Perspectives on Lifetime with Suse Lowenstein undated (VHS; running time 30:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_004) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Livingston speech and Donald Reynolds speech undated (Mini-cassette; running time 60:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_009) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Lowenstein family and friends at beach undated - Alexander surfing (VHS; running time 60:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_007) | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Maps, locations of bodies undated | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Map, locations of bodies undated Map of Locations of Bodies |
||||||||||
| Box 18 | Memorials 1990 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Mr. Mendham competition [Alexander Lowenstein was a competitor] undated (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_006) | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Pan Am 103 passenger statistics compiled by Barry J. Flick undated
- includes seat assignments Pan Am 103 passenger statistics |
||||||||||
| Box 18 | Obituaries December 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Park Place [featuring Alexander Lowenstein] undated (VHS) (ID#: pa103_lowenstein_a_008) | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Return of personal property 1989-1990 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Rubbing from Memorial Wall in Lockerbie, Scotland undated | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences convocation program 5 May 1990 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Trial at Camp van Zeist, Netherlands, verdict 31 January 2001 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | United States Mission to the United Nations 1992-1993 | ||||||||||
| Box 18 | Warsaw Convention and liability undated | ||||||||||